How MMP voting works in New Zealand
New Zealand uses Mixed Member Proportional representation, or MMP. It sounds technical, but it comes down to one idea: you get two votes, and the party vote decides how Parliament is shared out. Here is the whole system without the jargon.
The party vote
This is the big one. Add up every party vote in the country, and each party that qualifies gets roughly that same share of Parliament's 120 seats. A party on 30% of the party vote ends up with about 36 seats. Because it sets the size of every team in Parliament, the party vote is what really decides who can govern.
The electorate vote
This picks the single MP for your local area. Whoever gets the most votes in your electorate wins the seat, even without a majority. There are 72 electorates: 65 general and 7 Māori. The rest of Parliament is filled from party lists so the total still matches the party vote.
How 120 seats get filled
- 1Count the party vote nationwide, and set aside parties that got under 5% and did not win an electorate seat.
- 2Share the 120 seats among the remaining parties in proportion to their party vote.
- 3Give each party the electorate seats its candidates won on the night.
- 4Top the rest up from that party's published list, in list order, until it reaches its total.
- 5If a party won more electorates than its share allows, it keeps them and Parliament grows a little. That is an overhang.
A worked example: a party wins 12 electorate seats and 20% of the party vote. Twenty percent of 120 is 24 seats, so it keeps its 12 electorate MPs and adds the top 12 names from its list.
How a government is formed
A government needs the support of a majority of MPs, normally 61 of 120. Under MMP one party almost never gets there alone, so after election night parties negotiate. That can end in a formal coalition where partners share ministerial roles, or a looser arrangement where a smaller party agrees only to support the government on budget and confidence votes. Those talks usually take a few weeks, and they happen after the official results are declared.
How to vote in 2026
Enrolment is what puts you on the roll and tells you which electorate you are in. You can check or update your details with the Electoral Commission, and you can enrol right up to and including election day.
New Zealand is split into 65 general electorates and 7 Māori electorates. Your address decides which general electorate you are in; voters of Māori descent choose whether to be on the general or Māori roll.
One paper, two ticks. Tick one party on the left for your party vote, and tick one candidate on the right for your electorate vote. Two ticks in the same column spoils that vote.
Advance voting runs for around two weeks before election day at voting places across the country, and you can vote at any voting place, not just one in your own electorate.
Enrolment, voting places and official results are run by the Electoral Commission at vote.nz. This page explains the system in general terms and is not official electoral advice.
Common questions
Which of my two votes matters most?
The party vote. It decides how many of Parliament's 120 seats each party gets, so it shapes who can form a government. Your electorate vote only decides who represents your local area.
What is the 5% threshold?
A party needs at least 5% of the nationwide party vote to get list seats. There is one exception: if a party wins at least one electorate seat, it gets a share of seats matching its party vote even if that share is under 5%.
Is a vote for a small party wasted?
If the party clears 5% or wins an electorate, no — it converts into seats. If it does neither, its party votes do not count toward seats and are effectively set aside when the seats are shared out.
Can I split my votes?
Yes. Many people give their electorate vote to a local candidate from one party and their party vote to another. Both votes are counted independently.
What is an overhang?
If a party wins more electorate seats than its party vote entitles it to, it keeps the extra seats and Parliament grows beyond 120 members for that term.
Why does no one usually win outright?
Because seats closely match the party vote, a single party rarely passes 50%. Governments are normally formed by parties agreeing to work together after election night.
When are the final results known?
Preliminary results come on election night. Official results, including special votes, are declared roughly three weeks later and can shift a seat or two.
Who can vote?
You can vote if you are 18 or over, are a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident, and have lived in New Zealand continuously for at least one year at some point in your life. You must be enrolled.